Improvement in thimbles



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

ELIZABETH F. MCGARTNEY, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THIMBLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,336, dated June 10, 1879; application filed December 23, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZABETH F. MCCART- NEY, of Omaha, in the county of Douglas, and in the State ofNebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Thimbles; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in the common sewing-thimble.

The thimble now in use by constant usage produces inflammation and soreness of the quick, or that part of the finger at the root of the nail. Especially is this the case in the use of brass thimbles;

The object of my invention is to provide a thimble that shall not only be free from the objections just named, but that shall protect the finger from injury in case the thimble when in use shall slip off the needle.

My thimble is formed with an opening on one side, in order to have the upper portion of the fin ger-nail and the adjoining flesh on the back of the finger uncovered, said hole being sufliciently large for this, but so, nevertheless, that the band remaining near the mouth of the thimble shall he of considerable breadth, in order that it may rest easy upon and not irritate the finger. Aroundthis opening in the side of the thimble, on the side next its apex, is a raised bead or guard, so formed as to present on the side toward the apex a trough or channel, which, in case the thimble when in use shall slip off the needle, will catch over the end of the needle, and in this way the further movement of the thimble will be prevented and the finger protected from injury, which would be likely to ensue were the guard simply a raised head or ridge, over which the needle might slide.

In. the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of same. Fig. 3 is the plan. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Letter A represents the circular opening in side of thimble. LetterB represents the guard which is in front of and around the opening.

I am aware that a thimble with an opening in one side of it and a ridge or head at the edge of the opening is not new, and I make no claim to it; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a thimble with an opening in the side and a guard or ridge around said opening, the channel or groove in said guard on the side nearest the apex of the thimhle, as and for the purpose set forth. y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of December, 1878.

ELIZABETH F. MGCARTNEY.

Witnesses:

GYRUs Rose, M: G. MoKooN. 

